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The Health Mistakes My Generation Didn’t See Coming
What I’ve done — and continue to do — to break the chain of unhealthy habits
“I consider myself a good person. I eat well most of the time, exercise regularly, and generally lead a life befitting an upright citizen. But during my annual health check-up, the doctor wasn’t happy. They ran some tests and diagnosed me with Type 2 diabetes. What did I do wrong?”
This story isn’t about me, but about a young lady studying for a medical degree. It hit home in a familiar and painful way. Medical professionals told the young lady that her condition was most likely due to genetics. Brown and Black people are more prone to certain diseases than other ethnicities.
I then read another story about an African American woman who recently celebrated her 100th birthday. When asked how she reached such a milestone, she attributed it to her faith in God. While that may be true, I know countless people with immense faith in their God who never made it to 100.
While a few exceptions to the rule suffer through no fault of their own, or benefit with no effort on their part, there are instances where lifestyle habits contribute to health issues. This article is about the latter.